I have the pleasure of joining in with another Christmas book blog blitz today, including an interview with the author herself and a giveaway 🙂

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I am the USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera is a two-time Maggie winner who has written more than 90 books since making her first sale to Harlequin (Silhouette) Desire. Katherine is known for her sexy heroes, feisty heroines and sensual stories. A Florida native who grew up to travel the globe, Katherine now makes her home in the Midlands of the UK with her husband, two children and a very spoiled miniature dachshund.

My latest release from HarperImpulse is CHRISTMAS AT THE CANDIED APPLE CAFÉ. A seasonal story of love, chocolate and miralces!

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

The ideas for my stories come from everywhere. Usually from a combination of interesting news stories I’ve read, conversations with my hubby and kids, movies I watch, TV shows…pretty much everywhere. I have written a lot of books and so sometimes people are surprised I still have stories to tell, but I don’t think I’ve even come close to telling them all.

I’m also really nosey about people so I will watch them from behind my dark sunglasses and try to figure out why they are doing whatever they are doing. I have spent hours just watching people and being inspired by my version of their lives.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

No they aren’t.

How do you pick your characters names?

I usually have an idea of the character in my head and then do a search for baby names that will fit. If I’m writing a hero like Mads I start with an image and then go and look for names that match. I can never start writing until I have the perfect name for the character. Sometimes if I’m stuck and can’t find it, I’ll use xxhero in place of the name and write some scenes in that characters point-ofview until his/her name is revealed to me.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I have always had to make money from writing since I was working before I got published and so I treated writing like a job—the most awesome job in the world! So I work every Monday – Friday. When my kids were little I wrote after I took them to school and when they were infants after I put them to bed (I had a strict 7pm bedtime for them). But now that they are grown I usually start writing at 8 a.m. I write in sprints of 10-15 minutes where I try to get 500 words down on the page. And then I take a 10-15 minute break where I either get up and walk around, dance to songs from Time To Dance playlist or play a computer game usually backgammon against the computer. Then I repeat this pattern until I’ve finished a chapter usually around 3000 words. I tend to finish up around 1. And then I take the rest of the day for social media or shopping or crafts (I love making cards and art journaling) or playing with my dog!

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

There are really too many to name. ☺ But I love and will pick up anything written by Jayne Ann Krentz, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lori Foster, Christne Feehan, Raeanne Thayne, Jill Shalvis and Sarah Morgan.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would love to meet Judy Blume because her books had a huge influence on me as a girl. I’d just want to talk to her about life and writing.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes. In fact one year for Lent my mom challenged me to give up reading. I used to spend all of my free time on my bed reading. It was hard to do and the longest 40 days of my life, I’d rather give up chocolate or French fries than reading!!!

When did you start to write?

I started writing in 1992 when my daughter was six months old. At the time her father had a job he loved and I had a job that I really didn’t like and when I looked at my baby I thought I don’t want her growing up in a house where men get to do something they love and women have to just do whatever brings home the bacon. So I asked myself what I loved and there were two things being a mom and reading. And I had been starting and not finishing writing projects for several years (since I was 21, I was 23 at the time) and I decided that I would finish everything I started since I always didn’t want my daughter to be a quitter and that I would try writing.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I hate the ending. I felt like everything Anna has fought for was lost in the ending. I would give her the ending she deserves in my mind.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Not really. I love the books I am writing and have written and have so many ideas for other stories that I don’t think I’d want to write someone else stories. ☺

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

They said she couldn’t so she did it.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I think I’d invite Santa Claus out for coffee and I’d take him to Starbucks. ☺

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on Ethan Caruthers story from my Harlequin Desire series The Wild Caruthers Bachelors.

Do you have a new release due?

I believe it will be out in August of next year. ☺

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I’d like to say I do something glamorous and fun but usually I just have a glass of champagne with my husband at dinner.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

You can visit me on the web at http://www.katherinegarbera.com or follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/katherinegarberaauthor or instagram https://www.instagram.com/katherinegarbera/ or twitter https://twitter.com/katheringarbera

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Katherine 🙂 and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for arranging the interview.

Christmas at the Candied Apple Café

There’s nothing so magical as Christmas in New York… Santa is coming to New York!
Snow is falling, excitement is high and the delicious scent of chocolate drifts along Fifth Avenue – the Candied Apple Café is ready for Christmas! And no one is busier than publicist Iona Summerlin. With so much to do, she doesn’t have time to think about men, dating, or the fact her last boyfriend ditched her for her brother… Relationships are off the menu!
Hotel boss Mads Eriksson is not looking forward to the first Christmas since losing his wife. His six-year-old daughter Sofia has lost her belief in Christmas magic along with her mother, and he has no idea what to do. But an unusually festive business meeting at the Candied Apple – and meeting the beautiful Iona – starts to defrost Mads’ frozen heart, and suddenly life seems full of light and sparkle again.
If only they dare to believe, maybe all their Christmas dreams will come true!

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2zAvDah

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2gKF5QQ

Don’t forget to enter this fab giveaway…..

Giveaway –

Win 5 x Signed Copies of Summer in Manhattan

5 lucky winners will win a copy of Summer in Manhattan, Katherine Garbera’s previous book for Harper Impulse.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Author Bio USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera is a two-time Maggie winner who has written more than 60 books. A Florida native who grew up to travel the globe, Katherine now makes her home in the Midlands of the UK with her husband, two children and a very spoiled miniature dachshund. Social Media Links Fb: http://www.facebook.com/katherinegarberaauthor Twitter @katheringarbera Instagram http://www.instagram.com/katherinegarbera